Apparatus for cutting wires in making wire-bound boxes



Feb. 5, 1952 KlNGSLEY 2,584,593

APPARATUSFOR CUTTING WIRES IN MAKING WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed Oct. 25,1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTO D aw'd 6. Kingsley.

1 ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 5, 1952 D. G. KINGSLEY 2,584,593

APPARATUS FOR'CUTTING WIRES IN MAKING WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed oct. 25, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mfiwm n m m +T K A W M B Feb. 5, 1952 D. G. KINGSLEY 2,584,593

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WIRES IN MAKING WIRE BOUND BOXES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 25, 1947 INVENTOR.

David 6. Kingsley.

4- MIA Maul ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 5, 1952 D. G. KINGSLEY 2,584,593 APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WIRES IN MAKING WIRE BOUND BOXES Filed Oct. 25, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I L" I' I} I:0 a

56b v I 6'76 1 I 2 m ml 7 INVENTOR. 6Z6 57d B David G. Kings/49y- I I I 56 Y maul M m! ATTOR EYS. 64 62 Patented Feb. 5, 1952 APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WIRES nv' MAKING WIRE-BOUND BOXES David G. Kingsley, Mountain Lakes, N. J., as-

signor to Stapling Machines 00., Rockaway,

Application October 25, 1947, Serial No. 782,115

This invention relates to wirebound box-blankmaking machines and more particularly to a pneumatically-operated power drive for operat-- ing parts of a box-blank-making machine, which drive is particularly useful for cutting the wire binders joining wirebound box blanks produced continuously by a box-blank-making machine such as is illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 2,304,510, issued December 8, 1942.

Box-blank-making machines such as described in said patent have a conveyer system for continuously moving box parts to and through stapling mechanism which staples the parts together, and simultaneously staples binding wires to form box blanks which when folded form the top, bottom and connecting sides of a box. The

box parts include side material (slats) and cleats through which the stapling mechanism drives staples to attach the slats to the cleats, which staples also secure the binding wire to the cleats and side material.

Such a machine may produce as many as five hundred box-blank units in an hour. When so operated the box parts may move through the machine at a rate as high as ten inches per second. The box blanks leaving the box-blankmaking machine are joined by wire binders, and as the finished box blanks advance beyond the output end of the machine, i. e., beyond the stapling mechanism, it is necessary to cut the wire binders joining the box blanks and to remove the box blanks from the path of the oncoming box blanks. The ends of the wire binders form the tie wires which when twisted together by a twisting tool after the box is packed hold the box cover securely closed.

Cutting the wire binders at the tie wire gaps to form the tie wires is done while the box blanks are in motion, and it necessitates a rapid, splitsecond, cutting action to insure producing tie wires of the correct length, and to prevent kinking of the following ends of the cut wires.

The binding wires are usually cut ofi to pro vide a short end varying from fiveeighths to seven-eighths of an inch in length, and a long end varying in length in accordance with the length of the tie wire gap separating the boxblanks as they come from the machine. The practice of making one tie wire end shorter than the other insures that the twist formed by twisting the ends together is not located at an edge. Also to place the twist on the side rather than on the top of a box the binding wires are cut to leave the short ends extending from" the box- 4 Claims. (Cl. 164-42) 0 blank side rather than from the box-blank top.

The number of binder wires on a box blank may vary from two in number to ten, and in different types of box-blanks the spacing between the binder wires may be different. Thus, the cutoii mechanism must be readily adjustable to the number of and the spacing between the binding wires of the box blanks being manufactured. Also the lengths of the tie wire ends should be held to as close a tolerance as plus or minus one-eighth of an inch. Thus the cut-off mechanism should perform its cutting operation with precision and at the same time not interfere with the rapid movement of the box-blank units from the boxmaking machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel cut-off mechanism for cutting the binding wires of box blanks at the tie wire gaps, adapted to operate without interfering with the continuous rapid motion of the box blanks, and to repeat the cutting operation for each box blank to provide tie wire ends of closely controlled lengths.

It is another object of the invention to provide a. pneumatically-operated power drive useful for operating an operation-performing mechanism of a box-blank-making machine, and for carrying out such operation in split second periods of time.

It is another object of the invention to provide a pneumatically-operated cut-off mechanism capable of cutting binding wires of a box blank, at the successive tie wire gaps without interfering with the forward motion of the box blank units, and at the same time form tie wire ends whose lengths are held to a close tolerance.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts;

Figure 1 is a left side elevation of the delivery ends of a wirebound box-making machine, showing air-operated wire cut-off mechanism embodying the invention and secured in operating position adjacent the machine;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine of Figure 1, but showing the machine turned end for end, and showing the alignment of wire cutting units of the cut-off mechanism with binding wires of box blanks;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, showing control elements which control the operation of the wire cut-off mechanism;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a boX-parts-spacing element shown in Figure 3, and showing a clamp lug which actuates an electric switch to initiate a wire-cutting operation;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, showing in general the operating elements of the wire cut-01f mechanism,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of the upper portion of the mechanism of Figure 5 showing the cutting units after they have been lowered and operated to complete a cut-off operation;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a wire cut-oil unit as viewed from the left side Figure 6, and showing the cutting elements separated to straddle a binding wire preparatory to cutting;

Figure 8 shows a wire cut-oil unit as viewed from the ieft side in Figure 6, and showing the cutting elements astride a binding wire and ready to cut;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-8 -W 1 r t Figure 10 is a View of a wire cut-01f unit showing the position of the cutting elements and tie wire ends immediately after the cutting opera tion;

Figure ll is a sectional View taken on line ii -H of Figure 1!); and

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on line i2-i2 of Figure 8, showing the support for the stationary cutter.

Referring to the.drawings and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the boX-blank-inaking machine chosen to illustrate the application of wire cutoff mechanism embodying the present invention is well known, and is illustrated and described in the above U. S. rPatent No. 23641510. It is unnecessary in this description to do more than to point out the general operation of a box-making machine; v

Themachine'h'as at least twoendless c'onveyer bands 2 and 2a, which may be lengthened or shortened to'accorrimedateseveral set up spaces for box parts for box-blank units, and to provide equal spaces between the trailing edge of each box blankunit'and the leading edge ei-the succeeding bore-blank unit. The set up spaces for the box parts on the conveyerbands are provided by securing to the .c'on'veyer bands spacer elements such as shown in Figure 4. The spacer elements are adjustably clamped to the c'onveyer bands and serve to locate the side. material and cleats on the c'onveyer bands and to carry them to and through the stapling mechanism. The last spacer elements for each box-blank unit and the firstspacer elements of the following box blank unit are spaced to leave a space between the box-blank units, which space is referred to as a tie wire gap. It provides a span of free binding wire of predetermined length between the box=blank units. It is this wire that is out to form two tie wire ends. The span of free wire is shown at G, in Figures 1 and 2. Its predetermined length (usually iour and one-half to six inches) provides ample wire in the cut ends for twisting the tie wire ends together to form a twisted closure.

The conveyer bands are constantly driven by mechanism described in said patent. Only conveyer band 2 in the present description is operatively associated with the wire cut-off mechanism and the present description will be limited to conveyer band 2.

Referring to Figures 1 ends, the delivery end of c'onveyer band Zpasses over conveyer sprocket ii, keyed to a shaft Ila suitably driven by a drive 4 sprocket Ill), a chain He, reduction gears (not shown), and a motor lid.

In operation motor i'id continuously drives the conveyor bands at a speed for example of ten inches per second, and spacing elements 3 convey the box parts to the stapling mechanism (not shown) where they are joined together with binding wires W to form-the box-blank units indicated at B in Figures 1 and 2. The units as they leave the stapling mechanism are joined by the binding wire spans G which must be out to separate the units.

Wire cut ofi mechanism to out the binding wires is shown at the left in Figure 1 and at the rig-ht in Figure 2. It is operated pneumatically.

The control mechanism which controls the air supply to the cut-off mechanism is electrically operated, and is operated by the leading spacer element'3a of each box-blank unit set up. Such a leading spacer elementis shown a little more than one-half down sprocket ii in Figure 1, and is also in Figure 3' in the same position.

The leading spacer elements 3a of each set of spacer elements are different from the other spacer elements 3, in that the leading spacer elements are provided withclariip lug extensl n l (Figure 4) extending laterally from clamp lug 4a of the spacer element.

As clamp lug extension 4 is carried by conveyer band 2 and sprocket li past a stationary switch l, extension t operates the switch, which closes a circuit and operates a solenoid valve, as will be described, to throw airanrelay valve to start the cycle of operation of the cut=oii mechanism by lowering it into cutting position. Lug extension 4 holds the'switch closed fora length or" time sufficient to'complete the cutting action, and when the lug extension leaves the switch the circuit operatesafid throws the air relay to complete the'cy'cle by'raisin'g the'cutting mechanism out'of the path of the box-blank unit.

Control switch l is mounted on the end of arm 13, extending forwardly -(Figures '1 and 3) from a split hub l'2, freely mounted on conveyer sprocket H, and held in its axial position by a 'clam'pcollar l4--fix'-ed to shaft Ila. The outerend of arm l 3 is supported'by a turnbuckle t5, extending upwardlyfro'm a tie-rod lemou'nted below and'parallel toconveyer-shaft l-Ta. By means of.

turnbuckle l5 the angular position of switch 1 is adjusted about shaftdla, to relatethe position of the switch in' the path of conveye'r band 2 to the position of the cutting units-in'the path of-the moving box blanks. Properly adjusted, switch i is operated by lug extension 4 at the instant the leading-edge-E" of a .box blank reaches the cutting units.

Switch 1 is of conventional design. It has a spring pressed plunger l l "which when depressed closes switch I, and whichwhen released opens it. Plunger H) is" operated by a flexure spring 8 secured at its rearward end to the top of switch 1 and havin g'a forward end portion 9 bent downwardly at an angle and arranged to'be contac'ted and depressed by the under surface of lug extension 4 as the latter is carried past by con veyer band'2. Depression. of end 8 depresses plunger it and closes the'switch;

Switch 7 is suitably mounted on a bracket ll, adjustably secured to arm 53 to position switch 1 so that end 9 of spring 8 is contacted and operated by lug extensions 4'.

Switch 1 is held closed for the period of time that lugextensiond remainsiin contact with end 9of spring Thelength of time'that it thus.

5. remains in contact in practice may be in the order of less than one-fifth of a second.

. The air-operated cut-ofi mechanism, controlled by control switch I, is mounted at the front end of the machine, 1. e., the left. side as viewed in Figure l, and the right side in Figure 2. It is supported by uprights l8 and I9, suitably braced by angle brackets [8a. Secured to uprights l8 and 19 (Figure 2) are journal members 20 and 2|, respectively, which support the ends of hollow rock shaft 22, on which are mounted the cutoff units.

Each cut-off unit, as shown in Figure 7, includes a stationary knife blade 62, and a movable knife blade 6|, both supported from an angle bracket 51, secured to a split sleeve 60, adjustably clamped to rock shaft 22. Each movable knife blade 61 at its upper end is mechanically connected to a block 5| adjustably clampedto operating rod 50 located above and forward of shaft 22.

As explained each box-blank unit has a plurality of binding wires. A separate cut-ofi unit is provided for each binding wire as shown in Figure 2. The cut-off units are adjustable along shaft 22 and rod 50 to bring the individual units into alignment with the individual binding wires.

The end cut-off units support operating rod 50 for transverse reciprocating movement. This is accomplished, as shown in Figure 2, by studs 52 which pass through the upper ends of the two end movable knife blades 6!, and thread into the end blocks 5!. blades 6| are mechanically connected to their respective blocks 5| by rollers operating in grooves 20! provided in the front ends of blocks 5|. This construction permits sliding movement between rod and the intermediate knife blades as rod 56 is reciprocated, which sliding motion will occur unless each intermediate-knife blade BI is exactly aligned with respect to all the others.

Rock shaft 22 supports the individual cut-o units, which in turn support operating rod 50. When operating rod 50 moves in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 2, it pivots the knife blades 6| to perform the cutting operation. When rod 50 moves in the opposite direction it swings the knife blades in reverse direction and opens the cutting units for the next cutting operation.

Rock shaft 22 is oscillated to move the movable and stationary knife blades 6| and 62 into the path of the box-blank units to straddle and cut the binding wires and to move them out of the path after the cutting operation. The mechanism for rocking shaft 22 will now be described. Referring to Figures 2 and 5, hub 31 is clamped to rock shaft 22 adjacent to bearing member 21. Extending rearwardly from hub 31 is arm 36 connected to a clevis 34 by a pin 35. Clevis 34 is connected by rod 29 to a piston (not shown) inside conventional air cylinder 26. A coiled compression spring 32 around rod 29 pushes downwardly on a stationary collar 30 mounted above cylinder 26, and upwardly on a washer 3| adjustably mounted on the upper end of .rod shaft 29. Lock nuts 33 threaded in the upper end of rod 29 locate washer 3| and adjust the amount ofcompression of spring 32.

Compression spring 32 normally urges rod 29 upwardly and rock shaft 22 counterclockwise, as viewed in Figures 5 and 6, to move the knife blades into cutting position. Air pressur applied to. he air cylindermoves thepiston down, com- The intermediate movable knife.

, atmosphere.

6 presses spring 32 to rock shaft 22 clockwise, and moves the cutting units out of cutting position.

Air cylinder 26 is pivotally mounted on a short shaft 21 extending from support 28 secured to upright it. The pivotal mounting permits cylinder 26 to pivot under the influence of the angular movement of arm 36 as arm 36 pivots about the axis of rock shaft 22.

Air is supplied to cylinder 25 through a flexible connection 25 connecting with the output of a conventional magnetically-operated air relay generally indicated at 23 in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 2, air under eighty pounds pressure is supplied through pipe 242) to a reservoir 22a, and thence by pipe 24 to the inlet side of air valve 23. When the circuit containing control switch i and valve 23 is open, the air valve opens to connect intake pipe 24 with output pipe 25 to supply full line pressure to the top of the piston in air cylinder When the circuit is closed by lug extension t moving into contact with end 9 of spring 8, the air valve 23 closes the intak pipe 2t and opens pipe 25 to the atmosphere, thereby exhausting air cylinder 25 to the Thus, closing of switch 1 releases spring 32 to move piston and rod 29 upwardly to lower knife blades 6i and 62 into cutting position. Opening of switch 1 causes piston and rod 29 to 7 move downwardly to raise the cutting units out of cutting position.

Spring 32 is made sufficiently strong and its compression is properly adjusted by nuts 33, so that when lug extension 4 contacts end 9 of spring 8 and closes switch 7, spring 32 forces rod 29 up to its upper position almost instantly, and holds it raised and the cutting units lowered until lug extension 5 moves out of contact with spring 3.

Reservoir 22a, pipes 22 and 25 and the air passages in air valve 23, are large so that flow of air to or from air cylinder 25 is rapid and the time required for rod 29 to move up or down is short. In practice the total time required for spring 32 to exhaust cylinder 26 and raise the cutting units, is less than one-fifth of a second. The combination of the rate at which air valve 23 can exhaust air cylinder 26, and the rate at which valve 23 can supply air to the piston in cylinder 2% are determining factors in enabling the cutting blades to be lowered and raised in the short time available while the tie wire gaps are passing the cutting units.

The drive mechanism for knife blades El will now be described. As above pointed out knife blades 6! are connected at their upper ends with transverse operating rod 50 supported by movable knife blades E5! of the end cutting units. At its left end, as viewed in Figure 2, rod 50 is pinned to a clevis '55 secured to the end of a piston rod '15 extending from a piston (not shown) in air cylinder 2?. A compression coil spring 13 surrounds piston rod iii and pushes against collar H, secured to cylinder M, and against collar 72 carried by rod Hi. Nuts It threaded on rod ll] adjust the compression of spring l3 as described in connection with spring 32. Compression spring 73 urges rod 5% to the right as shown in Figure 7, thereby pivoting each knife blade 6! clockwise about its respective pivot to hold the cutting units open to receive the binding wires to be cut. The extent of the rightward movement is governed by the length of the stroke of the piston in air cylinder 41.

When air is supplied to cylinder 41 it forces the piston-and rod 10 to the left, compressing spring anemone l3 andmovingrod 59 to theleft as shown.in'1iig-- ure 7.. This action pivots knife blades- 6| counterclockwise and performsthe wire cutting operation.

Cylinder t! is supported from rock. shaft. 22 by legs 48 (Figure 6), extending from hub-31 clampedto shaft 22. The cylinder is 'pivotally' mounted on legs 89 by a pin 48 to accommodate lateral movement imparted to rod 50 as it moves axially.

The mechanism for supplyingair toand exhausting air from cylinder. H,v is shown. in the lower right corner of Figure .2, and. in: Figures". and 6. Cylinder 431's connected by afiexilole pipe 46 with an air valve 4i, connected .by' pipe 2413c reservoir 25a. Air valve 4| .is of a conventional type, and like valve .23 serves to connect'reservoir 24a with jpipe it and air cylinder 41, or to shut off pipe at fromthe reservoir and exhaust. pipe 66 and cylinder :31 to the atmosphere.

Valve 41 is supported by bracket 62 secured to the top of upright l9. It is operated (Figures 5 and 6) by a lever 43 pivoted at 43c. Movement of lever 43 reciprocates a plunger 531). When lever 43 and plunger 3b are down, as shown in Figure 5, valve 4| exhausts cylinder i! to the atmosphere, thereby permitting spring E3 to move rod 56 to the right to open the cutting units and to hold them open. .But when lever G3 is up, as shown in Figure 6, it holds plunger c3 up and valve 4i connects pipe 24 with 48 to supply full reservior pressure toair cyluider ll thereby causing piston rod 70 to move rod '58 leftward to perform the cutting operation.

Lever 43 carries at its free end a-rollerd l pivoted o a pin Roller 44 is designed to be operated by a head 38 of an operating pin 38a, slidably mounted in a hole in the end of lever 36 that rocks shaft 22. A compression spring 39'normally holds operating pin 38a in the position shown in Figure 5. Nuts 40 threaded on the operating pin. 38c adjust the distance from head 33 to lever 35. When lever 36'is raised to lower the cutting units into cutting position, as shown in Figure 6, head38 contacts and lifts roller 44, and pivots lever 43to move plunger 43b upwardly, to throw valve 4| to supply full pressure to air cylinder 47. The resilience of spring 39 insures accurate action of lever 43 without, however,

necessitating a fine adjustment of the respective positions of operating pin 38a and lever 43.

Pipe 55 and the passage in air valve 4! are made large to permit rapid fiow of air to and from air cylinder 4'1. With such construction the piston in cylinder 47 and the parts driven thereby, are rapidly accelerated when air is supplied to cylinder 4?.

Referring now to the cutting units and particularly to Figures 7, 8, 10 and 12, each knife blade 65 is pivoted on a stud shaft 56 which passes through the knife blade and is threaded into an angle bracket 51. Each stud shaft is provided with washers 56c and with a lock nut b. Brackct iii has a rearward extension 5ia bolted by bolts bib to a platform a extending from clamp sleeve ee clamped to shaft 22. Clamp sleeve 60 is clamped by a bolt 59b which passes through a block 600 (fixed to the sleeve) and threads into platform 60a.

Behind knife blade 6|, and bolted to bracket 5'1, is a backing plate 510 which serves, together with spacing washer 56a, to hold knife blade 6| against lateral movement as it pivots about stud shaft56.

Stationaryknife blade 621issecured byaarholt screw 5121.

Stand nut to angle bracket 51 as shownin Figure 7. A set screw E'ld is threaded through therear of bracketidl, asshownin Figure 12', to set the position of knife blade 52 by which its cutting edge: 152a can be. brought into close, but

not touching; contact with cutting edge 64a of knifesblade-Gl'. A nut-51c locks the position of set knife blade Bl has a projection 6 H: which extends behind stationary knife blade 62, and keepsknife blade 6 2a out of the path of movement of edge 61a. Projection Bib also limits the extent to l cutting unit is lowered.

The lower tip of knife blade 62 is slanted as shown at 62?) so that'if knife blade iii accidentally were to contact the wire while being lowered into cutting position, the wire would slide .1 into position at the left of sloping surface 822).

The end of each stationary knife blade 52 is tapered-by providing it with a sloping surface 620, so that the knife blades may be lowered into cutting position close to the end of a'box blank l passing under the cut-off units.

Figures Sand 9 show the cut-on units lowered into cutting position with the opened knife blade straddling the wire G, and cutting edge 65a and cutting edge 62a ready to perform the cutting operation. When the'up stroke ;of lever 33 lifts lever 43 and throws valve 4i, rod 5t throws to the left, swinging knife blade 5| counterclockwise thereby to "move cutting edge 61c past cutting edge 62a to shear the wire. Knife blade 6! continues past cutting-edge 62a as shown. in Figures, 10 and '11 and, as will ,be described, pushes the oncoming wire end (Figure 11) onto surface'fifld. Surface 62d of the stationary cutter 62,-which is the after one of the two cutters in the direction of travel of the binding wire is sloped away from the cutting edge 62a of the fixed cutting blade 62in a direction intermediately betweenthe direction of travel of the binding wire W and the direction of movement of the movable cutting blade Sl during cutting-so that the oncoming wire end W slides easily over the surface 62d, slightly'bending to the right'as shown in Figure 11. This operation prevents the oncoming wire fromcatching and kinking. Also the slight bend that is imparted to each end W is useful in further bending the ends for storage purposes.

To avoid contactiof movable knife blade El with the oncoming box end, and to damaging the oncomingbox blanks in case-0f accidental contact before the cut-off units are raised, the lower rearward surface bid is sloped as shownin Figure '7.

Thelengthof time'required to move the out 01? units into cutting position, to perform the cutting operation and to raise-the cut-off units,

:from themir cylinders is sufiiciently rapid. To

Referring to Figure 'l, movablethis end, rod 50 is made as light as its required strength will permit, but movable knife blades 6| are made heavy to provide a relatively large mass in each blade. With this construction when the piston inair cylinder 41 starts moving operating rod 58 to the left for a cutting operation. the energy expended by thepiston is largly converted into kinetic energy in the mass' of the When the cutting edges of contact moving knife blades. the respective knife blades 6 ineach blade is utilized to provide the force to shear the wires. By utilizing the kinetic energy in the individual knife blades rather than in rod 50, loose play between rod 58 and the individual The box blanks move continuously through the machine in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figures 1 and 2, and are stripped from the conveyor bands and spacer elements shortly after passingbeneath the stapling mechanism. The stripping is accomplished by downwardly angled ends 68 of horizontal rails 69 adjustably clamped to cross bar l6 of the machine. The horizontal rails 69 are supported at their opposite ends by the vertical members 1'! anchored to brackets 53. secured to the floor.

Reviewing the operation: As each box blank continues its forward motion, the motion of its leading edge E and of the leading element spacer 3 with its lug extension l are coordinated so that the instant the tie wire gap G preceding the leading edge E arrives at a predetermined point, lug extension 5 contacts end 9 of spring 3 and presses plunger Ill to close contacts of control switch 5. This causes air valve 23 to vent air cylinder 26 to the atmosphere and allows compression spring 32 to swing the cutting units into cutting position. As the movement is completed lever 63 operates valve Ma to supply full air pressure to cylinder 5'! and the cutting operation is completed. Lug extension 4 meanwhile has held control switch 1 closed, but it now rides off from end 9 and switch I, opens valve 23 and throws full air pressure into cylinder 26 to move the cutting units out of the path of the box-blank units. As they move out of cutting position, lever 43 is lowered and valve M exhausts air cylinder 4?, permitting spring 73 to move operating rod 55.! to spread the cutting blades for the next cutting operation.

Air cylinder 23 is used to lift the cutting units away from the oncoming box blanks because the lifting action must be rapid and powerful to insure movement of the cutting units out of the path of the box blanks. Also, as previously mentioned, one of the tie wire ends formed by cutting the binding wires is preferably made longer than the other. The shorter of the two ends is carried by the leading edge of the following box blank and may be only five-eighths inch long. For this reason, rapid movement of the cutting units away from the path of the box blank is required their respective wires, the kinetic energy of the mass present invention and since many changes might be made in the embodiment disclosed herein, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is to be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for accurately cutting the binding wires between moving box-part units in a box-blank-making machine comprising a movable member mounted adjacent the path of the binding wire, two relatively movable cutting blades mounted on said member for movement thereby into andout of cutting position with respect to the binding wire each of said cutting blades having a cutting edge, and the after one of said blades'in the direction of travel of the binding wires .having a surface sloping away from the cutting edge in a direction intermediately between the direction of travel of the binding wires and the direction of travel of the forward blade relative to the after blade during cutting, whereby when said cutting blades are relatively moved to cross their'cutting edges and so out a binding wire therebetween,

the oncoming cut wire end slides over the sloping surface, and a drive mechanism for moving said member and said cutting blades to move them into and out of cutting position with respect to the binding wires, and a second drive mechanism "independent'of the first drivemechanism relaparate said cutting edges to receive binding 1 wire for the next cutting operation.

' 2. Apparatus for accurately cutting the hinding wires between moving box-part units in a iboxblankmaking machine comprising a shaft extending laterallyacross said box-blank-makafter the cutting operation, if the knife blades are to be lifted in time to clear the oncoming box blanks.

Since many embodiments might be made of the ing machine, a support secured thereto, a stationary cutting blade mounted on said support in alignment with a binding wire, and having a cutting edge on its side which faces in the direction of the oncoming binding wire, a movable cutting blade pivoted on said support and having a cutting edge movable across the cutting edge of said stationary cutting blade to sever a binding wire positioned between said cutting edges, said stationary blade having a surface sloping away from its cutting edge in a direction intermediately between the direction of movement of said binding wire and the direction of movement of said movable cutting blade during cutting, whereby said sloping surface acts to cause the cut end of the oncoming binding wire to slide over the sloping surface and bend in a controlled direction, a drive mechanism oscillating said shaft to lower said cutting blades into cutting position over said binding wire and to raise the cutting blades after the cutting operation, and a second drive mechanism independent of the first drive mechanism moving said movable cutting blade to cross said cutting edges to cut the binding wire and subsequently to separate said cutting edges to receive binding wire for the next cutting operation.

3. Apparatus for accurately cutting the binding wires between moving box-part units in a box-blank-making machine comprising a shaft extending laterally across said box-blank-making machine, a support secured thereto, a stationary cutting blade mounted on said support in alignment with a binding wire, and having a cutting edge on its side which faces in the direction of the oncoming binding wire, a movable cutting blade pivoted on said support 1 1 and having a cutting edge, movable across the cutting edge of said stationary cutting blade to sever a binding wirepositioned between said cutting -.edges, said stationary blade having a surface sloping away from its cutting edgenin .a direction intermediately between the direction of movement of said binding wire and .the direction of movement of said movable cutting blade during cutting, wherebysaid sloping surface acts to cause the :cut end of the oncoming binding wire to slide over the sloping surface and bend in a controlled direction, a drive mechanism oscillating said shaft to lower said cutting blades into cutting position over said binding wire and to raise the cutting blades after the cutting oporation, a second drive mechanism independent of the first drivemechanism moving said movable cutting blade to cross said cutting edges to cut the binding wire and subsequently to separate said cutting edges to receive binding wire forzthe next cutting operation, and said movable cutting blade havingta surface that slopes away :fromits cutting edgein a direction toform an extension of said sloping-surface of-said stationary cutting blade when the two cutting edgesare aligned, whereby bending of the oncoming out binding wire in the said controlled direction is further assured.

'4. Apparatus for accurately cutting the binding wires between moving box-part "units in a box-'blankema-lring machine comprising a 'movable member mounted adjacent the pathofthe binding wire, two relatively movable cutting blades mounted cn said member for movement thereby into and out :of cutting position with re- :spect to -the binding wire each of said cutting blades having :acutting-edge, and the after one of said cutting blades in the direction of travel of the binding wires having a surface sloping away from the cutting. edge in .a' direction intermediately between the direction of travelof the binding wires and the direction of travel of the forwardblade relative to the after blade during cutting, whereby when said cutting blades are relatively moved to cross their cutting edges and to out a binding wire therebetween, the oncoming cut wire end slides over the sloping surface, means to move said cutting blades into and out of cutting position with respect to the binding wires, and means torelatively move said cutting blades to cross said cutting edges to cut the binding wire'and to separate said cutting edges to receive binding wire for the next cutting operation.

iDAVID G. KINGSLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,035,828 .Albree Aug. 20, 1912 1,144,750 Bluege June 29, 1915 1,254,779 Craig et al. Jan. 29, 1918 1,313,854 Bauwens Aug. '19, 1919 1,313,855 Bauwens Aug. '19, 1919 1,408,176 H Doubler Feb. 28, 1922 1,408,336 Bauwens Feb. 28, 1922 1,511,319 Craig Oct. '14, 1924 1,539,922 Thompson June 2, 1925 1,555,188 Craig Sept. 29, 1925 1,748,975 Craig Mar. 4, 1930 11,809,688 Bletso'et al. June 9, 1931 1,841,522 Craig Jan. 19, 1932 

